If you’ve recently purchased a new set of extensions and they are struggling to hold a curl, you’ll know how frustrating it can be — which is why I did some digging to find out why this happens and how to solve it.
The reason why your hair extensions won’t curl is because no two sets of extensions will be exactly the same, every set will hold a curl differently depending on the donor, the texture and whether it is synthetic or 100% real human hair. Courser hair and synthetic hair is very difficult to style, making it near impossible to hold a curl.
If you own synthetic or extensions that simply don’t want to hold a curl, don’t despair! Luckily there are some sneaky hacks you can use to combat this, so keep reading to get in on the secret.
Reasons Extensions Won’t Curl
If your hair extensions refuse to hold a curl, there are several reasons as to why this is the case — in order to fix this problem, you first need to know what’s causing it! So let’s get stuck in as to why your hair extensions are so stubborn:
Here’s why your extensions won’t curl:
- They are synthetic. This is not to say that you can’t curl synthetic hair, because you certainly can. However, synthetic hair is notoriously difficult to curl, as it contains plastic which does not react well to heat styling tools at all.
- The hair is coarse. If you have coarser hair, even if it is natural, you will know that straightening or curling your hair takes 3 times as long as finer hair. The same applies to extensions — if the donor had coarse hair that doesn’t want to hold a style, you will have the same problem.
- The curling iron is on the wrong temperature. For most hair types, staying around the 400 degree mark is a good rule of thumb. If you have finer hair, you can turn it down 10-20 degrees. If you have coarser hair, you can turn it up a few degrees. If you are using the wrong temperature on your extensions, this could be the reason why your hair is not curling or holding properly.
- Your hair isn’t 100% dry. If your hair is still slightly damp you can cause some major damage to your hair if you apply heat directly. Not to mention your curls won’t last very long and may look a bit odd. Make sure your hair is completely dry to avoid this.
- You’re not using a heat protectant or holding product. If you don’t use the right products in your hair to protect it from damage and help hold it in place, you will be left with a frizzy mess all over the place. Make sure you are using a good styling spray or mousse before and after you curl, and use a heat protectant beforehand.
- Your styling tool is bad quality. If you are using a low-quality styling tool, you will have what is known as “hot-spots”, meaning the curls will be uneven and the heat distribution will be uneven too. These create damage to parts of your hair. With an analog heat setting, you won’t know what temperature you’re putting on your hair or where the hot spots are. With a digital reader, you get even heat distribution, so you’re not frying certain parts of your strands.
How to Curl Human Hair Extensions: 10 Simple Steps
If you own 100% human remy extensions, chances are you won’t have too many problems holding a curl. But just in case you have any trouble, you’ll need to know what to do. So now that you know why your hair extensions refuse to curl, it’s time to tackle the issue head-on! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to curl your human hair extensions so that your curls hold all day long!
Step 01. Brush or comb your human extensions until they are completely free of any knots or tangles.
Step 02. Spray a thermal heat protectant over your extensions and brush through again. This helps add protection to the hair by acting as a barrier from the damaging heat of your curling iron.
Step 03. Heat your curling iron to no higher than 400 degrees.
Step 04. This step is only for those of you who have the option to remove your extensions before curling. If you can, clip a single weft from your hair extensions onto a piece of cardboard, place the cardboard on a ledge or off the side of a table and put something heavy on top of the cardboard. The purpose of this is to free-up both your hands so styling is easier.
Step 05. Hold down the handle on the curling iron to open the barrel. Then place a 1-inch section of hair into the opening and grip the ends of the extensions.
Step 06. Twist this section of hair around the curling iron until you reach the top of the weft.
Step 07. Wait for about 30 seconds and then slowly begin unwinding the hair. Be careful not to pull too hard, as this can damage to the curl.
Step 08. Curl the rest of the weft of hair in the exact same fashion. Once you are done, make sure you spray the entire weft with a strong-holding hairspray.
Step 09. Repeat this process over the rest of the hair extension wefts, working in 1-inch sections until all of the hair is curled.
Step 10. Run your fingers through the wefts of hair to loosen the curls slightly to give it a more natural look.
How to Curl Synthetic Wigs, Extensions or Weaves
Since synthetic hair is basically plastic, it should come as no surprise that it is notoriously difficult for it to hold a curl. A good method to use when curling your synthetic hair is to keep the heat low and use the hot water method.
Here’s how to curl your synthetic extensions with the hot water method:
Step 01. Moisturize your synthetic hair by adding a cream-based moisturizer (you only need a squirt or two.) Rub this thoroughly through the hair. This is to help your hair hold the curl better.
Tip: You can use coconut oil or olive oil too.
Step 02. Roll your hair onto perm rods. Decide on the sizes of the perm rods and divide your hair up, then roll it into the rods. Do this until all your hair has been rolled.
Tip: Choose different sizes of perm rods rather than only one size to give some variation and add a more natural look. Keep the curls near your neck and the back of your head larger and looser. Use the smaller perm rods for the curls around your facial area.
Step 03. Dip the perm rods in hot water. Fill a mug 3/4 full with water and heat it for about 1 minute. Next, gently dip each perm rod into the hot water and keep it in there for about 20 seconds. Lastly, lift the perm rod out and dip the rest of the perm rods one at a time.
Step 04. Let the hair dry. Ideally, you should let your hair dry with the perms in naturally. This is because heat can be damaging to synthetic hair. This could take a few hours or even a whole day, so it may be wise to do this quite some time before your event.
Tip: If you’re running out of time, you could blow dry your hair. Just make sure that the blow dryer is on the lowest heat setting.
Step 05. Remove the perm rods. Once the hair has dried completely, gently remove it from the perm rods. Your curls will most likely be very tight and springy, which can give it a very unnatural look. If you prefer them tight, you can simply leave them be, they will most likely become looser and softer as the day progresses. If you’d like the curls to look softer or fluffier straight away, run your fingers through your hair.
Tip: You can also separate the big curls into smaller ones with your hands, which will give a more natural look.